jabbered and
chattered at the top of his voice, for he did not like this at all. To
have a banana taken away when he was just half finished with it! That
didn't seem fair!

"Come on! We'll try again, Jan," said Teddy, holding the half-eaten
yellow fruit out of Jack's reach. For the monkey was jumping up trying to
get back the banana.

"You'll have to get him up on top of the boxes again," Janet said.

"Yes, and I guess I'll have to break off a piece of this banana to get
him to go up after it," her brother said. "Come on, Jack!" he cried.

Breaking what was left of the banana in half, Teddy once more climbed the
step ladder and put the pulpy mass on top of the pile of boxes. Jack saw
what was done, and in an instant he had climbed up.

"He's learning to go up fine!" declared Teddy, as he got down and moved
the ladder away, so Jack would not use that in his descent. "If we can
only make him jump now. Get ready, Trouble, to hold up the banana again."

"There isn't much left of it," Janet remarked.

"It's all there is until we go to the store for more," answered Teddy. "I
guess it will do. We'll wait until he swallows what he's eating now, and
then Trouble can hold up what is left."

Anxiously the Curlytops and their little brother watched Jack perched
rather high on the tower of boxes. The monkey made short work of the
small piece of banana that had been put on his high perch. Then he looked
down for more.

"Hold it up, Trouble! Hold it up!" cried Teddy, at one end of the curtain
net, while Janet held the other end.

"I hold it, but my hoots is gettin' tired," said the little fellow.

"Never mind, dear," consoled Janet. "If Jack doesn't jump this time we'll
let you go. We can put a stick in the ground near the edge of the net,
and tie the banana to that if Trouble is tired," she said to Teddy.

"Yes, but it won't be so good as Trouble, 'cause Jack likes him," Teddy
answered. "Look out! I think he's going to jump!"

And that is just what Jack did!

With a chatter of delight as he saw Trouble holding up the piece of
fruit, Jack stood for a moment on the edge of the pile of boxes, and
then he leaped.

Straight down he jumped toward the lace curtain and toward Trouble, who
held up the banana. But before the monkey landed there was a scream from
the house, and Mrs. Martin came running out.

"Don't let Jack jump into my lace curtain! Don't do it, Curlytops!"
exclaimed their mother. "He'll tear it to pieces. S